For Meghan McVeigh-Maciolek, running has never been about checking boxes or chasing medals. It has always been about showing up—over and over—for community, cause, and a legacy rooted in service.
Meghan’s connection to Legacy of Hope—and the values that keep her coming back—were first explored in a 2023 profile, Service Is the Rent, which traced how endurance, service, and community became central to her life. For five years now, she has been involved with Legacy of Hope, participating in the Love Run multiple times and PHL24 for five consecutive years. While the races and the miles have accumulated, her connection to the organization has remained constant. “As a family, the majority of our charitable contributions every year are dedicated to Legacy of Hope,” she explains.
Legacy of Hope’s mission has evolved over time, expanding from emergency assistance into scalable, sustainable services for families facing housing and food insecurity following a cancer diagnosis. That evolution has only deepened Meghan’s commitment. But what keeps her coming back isn’t just the mission on paper—it’s the people.
“The [Legacy of Hope] community has continued to evolve,” she says, “and has pushed me as an athlete in ways I never anticipated.” Case in point: Meghan logged a personal best of more than 60 miles on the Art Museum steps at PHL24 last September.Despite participating in extreme endurance events—such as the 29029 challenge in Stratton, where she climbed 29,029 feet (Everest’s height) in 36 hours—Meghan is selective about road races. In fact, the Love Run is the only one she does anymore. “I feel very strongly about what the Love Run is able to do—not just for the running community, but for Legacy of Hope,” she says, alluding to the rare intersection of accessibility, purpose, and collective impact offered by Philly Runs Free.
Meghan’s continued involvement with Legacy of Hope comes from a deeply personal “why”—honoring the legacy of service left by her father, Peter McVeigh. She laughs when imagining how he might view her endurance feats. “He was a football coach—not a runner,” she says. “If he were alive, he’d probably say, ‘There are other ways to honor my memory. Climbing the Art Museum steps for 24 hours is insane!’” But she knows that, as unconventional as PHL24 may be, he would understand the purpose behind it: helping people who can’t help themselves. She smiles as she shares that, during the final laps of PHL24, she dedicated her last ascent to him.
While Meghan’s father has always been her “why,” her relationship to that motivation has evolved—particularly in how she relates to grief. Early on, endurance gave her something tangible to pour her energy into, a way to stave off sadness. More recently, she notes a shift, referencing a quote about learning to love the thing in your life that you wish most had not happened. That idea resonates deeply for Meghan. “I’m no longer necessarily sad about it,” she explains. “I’m proud that I get to live my dad’s legacy by doing these things.”
Meghan recognizes that honoring her father’s legacy doesn’t require grand gestures. Financial donations matter, but she believes there is something uniquely powerful about participation—about sweat equity and community. “I could just give money,” she says. “But there’s something meaningful about the effort that goes into this. It’s unconventional. It’s hard. And it’s shared.”
That belief aligns closely with the philosophy behind Philly Runs Free, a Legacy of Hope/ Saucony Love Run initiative that reimburses race registration fees for anyone who raises $250 for Legacy of Hope—ensuring that cost is no longer a reason someone has to stay on the sidelines.
Accessibility matters. Running, at its best, is communal. It’s not about pace or pedigree—it’s about presence. Philly Runs Free expands who gets to be part of the Saucony Love Run—first-time runners, returning athletes, and anyone previously sidelined by cost. That sense of shared purpose is what keeps Meghan engaged year after year. Whether through fundraising, running, volunteering, or simply showing up, every action contributes to the larger mission.
Meghan’s story is a testament that service doesn’t always look like sacrifice—it often looks like consistency. Like showing up, again and again. She honors love through action—not running away from loss, but alongside it. Service, after all, isn’t something you complete. It’s something you live.
If you’d like to support the cause but aren’t able to run the Love Run, you can contribute to Meghan’s fundraising page.
The next official group training session for the Saucony Love Run takes place on Saturday, February 21 at 8:30 AM. Visit this link for full details, to register and for a chance to win a pair of Saucony shoes or a free Love Run entry.